Voice of the People, Aug. 10

August 10, 2013

Gay rights (Paul Tong)

Gay rights

I was pleased to see that Tribune columnist Eric Zorn and I were thinking the same thing when it comes to Russia's anti-gay laws and how to react to them at the upcoming Sochi Olympics ("Change of Subject," Aug. 4). He noted the action that two black American Olympians took at the 1968 games, when instead of putting their hands over their hearts during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," these two medal winners raised a black-gloved hand over their heads to protest racial injustice.

My twist on Zorn's suggestion is to create rainbow-colored gloves and that as many athletes as possible from any and all countries who are willing to do so, put their gloved hands over their hearts during the playing of the gold medal winner's national anthem. I think that would send an even stronger message than pins or other types of gestures would in support of gay rights.

— Nick Sloane, Glendale Heights

Odd Illinois

I recently set out on a drive from Virginia to St. Louis, along Interstate Highway 64 and through West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and finally into Missouri.

In all the states, the speed limit is 70 miles per hour, but it is 65 mph in Illinois.

In all the states, the price per gallon of octane 87 gasoline was between $3.53 and $3.69, but it was $3.89 at the first filling station I encountered upon entering Illinois.

In all the states, I was able to wear my pistol concealed on my hip, but just before I entered Illinois, I had to stop, unload my pistol, lock it in a case and place that case in an area not readily accessible to me. I was complying with the federal regulation covering interstate transfer of a firearm through a state that would not permit me to have a pistol or does not recognize my Virginia concealed weapon permit.

On measures of quality of life relevant here, is it that Illinois is superior to the other states in those measures, or is Illinois odd just because it wants to be odd?

— Steve A. Brown, Springfield, Va.

Tough living

I am so mad at Gov. Pat Quinn and the state legislature. My late husband paid into his pension and was to retire with that and his medical care. He didn't live long enough.

I am being deducted more than $17 a month from my survivor benefits, which are not even $700 a month. Social Security is even less. Prices go up and many retired state workers and survivors are living robbed.

I sure hope our elected state officials are all paying their higher medical premiums.

— Beth M. Sullivan, Hometown

No scandals

I'm surprised that the Tribune isn't still printing letters to the editor complaining that the president wasn't born in the United States. It is a total scandal for the paper to still be printing letters typifying the IRS investigation and Benghazi as "scandals." There has been more than substantial proof that there was no "scandal" involved in either.

At this point, the only scandal is the blatant abuse of Republican congressional power shown in these investigations still going on.

As a taxpayer I want to know how much money the House Republicans have wasted, pursuing these incidents while knowing that there was no scandal involved.

— Walter O'Brien, Dundee

Corrupt gifts

It seems to be a general assumption that term limits would eliminate corruption. What it would do is limit the amount of time politicians would have to "get theirs." And promises made before elections are not always carried out.

What would make a big difference would be a law that an office-holder could not receive any money or gift from any source while in office. And gifts before and after should also be carefully scrutinized.

If we are to have democracy, these are the things that have to be eliminated: gifts affecting legislation, and money poured into elections.

— Warren Hineline, Bensenville

Bird deaths

Every spring and autumn, hundreds of thousands of migrating birds meet disaster in the blades of wind turbines. Every day, birds of all types, even protected species such as bald eagles, become victims of the swirling blades. Environmentalists tout wind turbines as an environmentally friendly way to generate electricity. Obviously, these lethal machines aren't environmentally friendly to the large numbers of dead birds on the ground around them.

— Donald Froelich, Mount Prospect

Austin's downfall

It is so sad to read about all the violence in the Austin area. I grew up in Austin, near Menard and Division streets, in the 1940s and 1950s. I attended Ella Flagg Young grade school and Austin High School. Both were excellent schools at that time. The neighborhood was safe; we walked to and from school at any time of day or night. Parents sat on the porches in the evenings while the kids played games in the street until the streetlights came on. That was our signal to go home. There must have been police around, but I don't remember seeing any. There was no need for them; there was no crime. It's a shame that kids growing up in Austin today cannot have the same experience.